Welcome to the . . . . 
Cook County Coroner's Inquest Record Index,
1872–1911

Compiled by the Illinois Regional Archives Depository System, 
Northeastern Illinois University


Entering Search Criteria
Enter the name of the decedent in the format: last name comma space first name space middle initial period (for example, Smith, John D.). The first name and middle initial may be omitted to accomplish a surname search. Searches are not case sensitive: you may use any combination of upper and lower case letters. 

Keep in mind the following points when entering search criteria:

  • Not all deaths required an inquest. Only a death by violence, casualty or any undue means required an inquest by a coroner's jury. Deaths by natural causes were recorded by the county clerk in Cook County.
     
  • If you cannot find a person for whom you believe there was an inquest, try broadening your search by entering only a portion of the surname (e.g., John instead of Johnson) or by typing variations of the spelling of a surname (such as Johnson and Johnsen).
Click here for information about how to obtain copies of the Cook County Coroner's Inquest Records.


Name of Decedent


Back to Cook County Coroner's Inquest Record Index page